Knitting-machine.



No. 630,784. Patented Aug. 8, 1899. G. E. STEVENS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 6, 1B 97.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Aug. .8, I899. G. E. STEVENS. I

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 6, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Patented Aug. 8, 1899.

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G. E. STEVENS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Apphcaluon filed Mar 6 1897) (No Model.)

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UNITED H STAT S PATENT Gri -Ion,

GEORGE E. ST IVENS, OF LAOONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK E. BUSIFL, OF SAME PLACE.

' KNITTItNdMACt-HNE.

srnorrromron forming part of Letters Patent N6. 630,784,11ated August 8, 1899."

' A plicatio filed March 6, Serial No. 626,190. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. STEVENS, of. Laconia, county of Belknap, and State of New;

Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in Knitting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accom;

panying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention hasfor itsobject the production of a machine by which to knit tubular fabric strengthened by indepeudentwarp and weft put into the fabric between the knit ting-threads, Y

The machine herein to be describedis adapt ed to knit the fabric described inmy appli: cation Serial No. 622,602, filed February-'9,- 1897. f; 1" 5 Herein the knitted fabric is put together by cylinder and dial needles of a knittingmachine, and cooperatingwith these needles I em ploy suitable devices to present the warpthreads and lay the weft-threads in position to be incorporated into the fabric by the knitting-threads. a

Figure 1, in side'elevation, represents a sufficient portion of a knitting-machine contain ing my present improvements to enable myv invention to be understood; Fig. 2, a partial section enlarged below the dotted line 00, Fig.

1; Fig. 2, a section of the fabric, and Figs.

3 and 4 show in detail parts of the machine to be described. I

The frameworkis composed, essentially, of a base A, uprights A, and a stationary top yoke A The base A has erected on it a stand B, herein shown as a cylinderof sufficient size to contain within it the usual take-up mechan ism B, the upper end of the cylinder having] and its needles is a dial-plate D, having usual grooves for the reception of a series of dialncedles, the said dial-needles being operated,

in conjunction with the cylinder-needles, to knita tubular rib fabric by a dial cam-plate.

D, it"having at its under side usual grooves to receive the butts of the dial-needles.

: Theneedle-cylinder, cam-cylinder, the dialneedle plate, and the dial cam-plate are but partiallyshowmasin practice they are and will be of usual construction commonly found in knitting-machines for knitting rib circular 'workas, for instance, in United States Patbut No. 292 ,e90, dated January 29, 1884-and therefore the particular detailed construction :of these well-known devices neednot be herein further described, only'to say that the usual cylinder anddjial' needles will inpractice be supplied with knitting-threads offltaken from a snitch 1e spool or spools a 01,, according to whetherone ortwo feedsare employed,the said knitting-threads being passed through eyes a in suitable thread-guides a supported, as herein shown, by a movable toothed ring a which is rotated in unison with the cam-cylinder, as will be hereinafter described, said threads being knitted to form a rib-stitch tube. Iintroduce into this knitted tube as it is being made on the machine two sets of longitudinal warp-threads b b, and between the said warp-threads a central or splitting weft thread g and also at the outer side of said two warp-threads a second weft-thread h, and at theinner side of said two warp-threads athird weft ethread b 1 Q s ,1 j The warp-threads b, tak en from suitable bobbins c, are mounted on a ringcfijled under and through aring c, sustained at the lower endsof arms depending from a plate a, fast with relation to the framework,-and thence over a guide-ring 0 having a series of uprights, as 0, between which the said warpthreads pass on their way to the fabric, said warp-threads entering the needle-cylinder at its top and between saidneedle-cylinder and the edge of said dial-needle plate. These warp-threads I) go between the cylinder-needles and occupy a position intermediate the dial-needles. W

The warp b, taken from bobbins d, supported on a ring 01 pass over'a ring-guide d, sustained at the lower end of arms d fixed to a stationary ring or plate 0?, and from said ring d said warps I) pass through a guidenotch inside of a gathering-ring d", mounted at the lower ends of arms (1 also fixed to the underside ofsaid plate (1 (See Figs. 1 and 3.) These warp-threads Z) areled to the fabric inside the needle-bed and between the top of said bed and the dial-needle plate, and they stand between the dial-needles and in line with the cylinder-needles. To prevent these warp-threads b from lateral movement or from being displaced from their proper grooves in the ring (1 I place inside said ring a stop-ring e.

The dial-needle plate is supported by the lower end of a rod (2, fixed at its upper end in the yoke A The dial cam-plate is fixed to the lower end of a sleeve 6 in turn fastened at its upper end by a screw 6' to the lower end of a hub 6 having extended upwardly from it a series of arms 6, fixed to a toothed ringf, having at its lower side a short hub (see dotted lines, Fig. 1) which enters a groove in the top of the plate (Z said groove forming a guide and bearing for said toothed ring, the said ring being actuated from a toothed gear f at the upper end of a shaftf having at its lower end a bevel-gcanf,which is engaged and retated by a bevel-pinion f fast on the main shaft E, the same having any suitable fast and loose pulleys.

The bobbins carrying the lmitting-threads are secured on the toothed ring a and said ring is rotated at the same speed as the ringf -and in the same direction bya toothed wheel 9, also fast on the said shaft f This ring a besides carrying the lniitting-threads, is also provided with one or more bobbins g, accordiug to the number of feeds, which bobbins are provided with what I designate as the central or splitting weft g (see Fig. 2%) said weft 9 being led into and delivered from suitable thread-guides 7 the delivery ends of said thread-guides occupying a position between the inner and outer warps, so that said weftthread is laid between said warps, as shown in Fig. 2.

The outside weft his taken from a bobbin h, which is contained in a bobbin-carrier 7L2, shown as a yoke fixed to and extending below the skirt or horizontal lower extension of the needle cam-cylinder. This outer weft, one or more being used, according to the num' ber of feeds, will be subjected to the action of a suitable tension device ha, and from said tension device it passes over the ring 0 and through the outer-weft guide h, it having its delivery end located close to and a little be low the upper end of the needle-cylinder, (see Fig. 4,) so that said outer-weft thread will be laid against the outside of the warps b at the knitting-point, the said needle-cylinder being preferably cut away at its outer side near its top to afford a space in which the said threadguide may travel, the said thread-guide being also below the horizontal plane in which the dial-needles reciprocate in knitting.

The inner-we ft thread I) on bobbins I) is led through an eye in, fast to the ringf, and thence down inside the circle of warp-threads b and through suitable thread-guides m, fixed to the dial cam-plate, as best shown in Fig. 2, said thread-guides delivering their weft-threads against the inner side of the innerwarp threads Z), close to the knitting-point and preferably at a point between the two threadguides g and h, the said inner-weft thread If being presented at the edge of the dial cam plate at the point where the said dial-needles are retracted to draw new loops through old loops on their shanks, and the said dial-needles when again pushed fully out to take knitting-thread passing above the said inner-weft thread. In this way the knitting-threads connect and bind together in one solid fabric the warp and weft threads, as best shown in Fig. 2".

The toothed ring 0 of the cam-cylinder is engaged by a pinion a at the upper end of a shaft n, provided at its lower end with a bevel-pinion n which is engaged and rotated by a bevel-gear 0L fast on the main shaft l The camcylinder, dial-needle cam-plate, and the rings a and f are rotated at the same speed.

I have herein shown the inner end of the shaft E as provided with a cam 0, which will actuate any usual orsuitable pawl which will operate the second or feed take-up wheelsp, of usual construction.

I may employ any usual rib-knitting devices, my invention consisting in combining with such usual devices the warp and weft presenting means described.

lVhile I desire to use two sets of warps, yet this invention is not at all times limited to such use, for I may dispense with either set of warp-threads and with the filling-thread that crosses that warp at its outer side to bind it into the rib-knitted fabric.

By using the central or splitting weft and omitting either of the other two weft-threads and using the warp of different-colored yarn and using the weft of the same or different color I may knit fancy tubes.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating two sets of needles to knit a ribbed fabric, the combination with said knitting devices of means to deliver a separate set of Warp-threads upon each side of said ribbed fabric between the vertical lines of stitches thereof, means to retain said warp-threads in position, and means to lay a weft or filling thread or threads between and splitting said sets of warp-threads, substantially as described.

2. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating two sets of needles, to produce a ribbed fabric, the combination with said knitting devices of means to deliver a separate set of warp-threads upon each side of the said ribbed fabric between the vertical lines of stitches thereof, means to lay weft or filling threads outside thesaid sets of warp-threads in position to be bound by the loops of knitting-yarn that are formed by the needles, and means to lay a weft or filling thread or threads between said sets of warp-threads, substantially as described.

3. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating two sets of needles to produce a ribbed fabric, the combination with said knitting devices, of means to deliver a separate set of warp-threads upon each side of said foundation fabric between the vertical lines of stitches thereof, meansto lay weft or filling threads outside of said sets of warp-threads, and to be bound by the knitting-yarn, and means arranged between said sets of warpthreads to deliver the knitting-yarn and to deliver a weft or filling thread both between said sets of warp-threads, substantially as described.

t. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating cylinder and dial needles to knit a ribbed fabric, the combination with said knitting devices of an outer-warp-guiding ring surrounding the upper end of the needle-cylinder, the said ring guiding and presenting a series of outer warps between the needles of the needle-cylinder, said warp-threads entering the needle-cylinder between its top edge and the circumference of the dial-needle plate, aweft-thread guide, and means to move it in unison with the cam-cylinder to deliver a Weft-thread against the outer side of said warp-threads, substantially at the knittingpoint, and a central or splitting weft guide to carry a central or splitting weft, and means to actuate said splitting-weft guide, substantially as described.

5. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating cylinder and dial needles to knit a ribbed fabric, the combination with said knitting devices of an inner-warp collecting and guiding ring located above the dial-needle plate and presenting a series of inner warpthreads between the dial-needles, said warpthreads entering the said needle-cylinder between its top and the circumference of the said dial-needle plate, and a weft-thread guide and means to move it in unison with the camoylinder to deliver a weft-thread against and across said warp-threads, the knitting-threads holding said weft and warp threads into the rib-knitted fabric, and a central or splitting weft guide to carry a central or splitting weft, and means to actuate said splitting weft guide, substantially as described.

6. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating cylinder and dial needles to knit a tubular ribbed fabric, the combination therewith of an outer-warp-guiding ring surrounding the upper end of the needle-cylinder; an inner-warp-guiding ring located above the dial-needle plate, the outer ring presenting its warp-threads between the needles of the needle-cylinder, and the inner guiding-ring its warp-threads between the plate-needles,

both sets of said warp-threads entering the space between the said needle-cylinder and means to operate said weft-guides, substantially as described. a I

7. In a knitting-machine, the followinginstrumentalities, viz: aneedle-cylinderto contain cylinder-needles, a surrounding camcylinder to actuate said cylinder-needles, a dial-needle plate to contain dial-needles, a dial-needle cam-plate to actuate said dialneedles, means to operate said dial-needle cam-plate, a toothed ring provided with downwardly-extended thread -guides to supply threads to the cylinder and dial needles, a support for said toothed ring located above said dial-needle plate, a driving-shaft, two independent shafts actuated by said drivingshaft, said two independent shafts carrying gearing to rotate said cam-cylinder and said toothed ring in unison in the same direction and a weft-thread guide also carried by said toothed ring, substantially as described.

8. In a knitting-machine, the followinginstrumentalities, viz: a needlecylinder to contain cylinder-needles, a surrounding camcylinder to actuate said cylinder-needles, a dial-needle plate to contain dial-needles, a dial-needle cam-plate to actuate said dialneedles, means to operate said dial-needle cam-plate, a toothed ring provided with downwardly extended thread-guides to supply threads to the cylinder and dial needles, a support for said toothed ring located above said dial-needle plate, a driving-shaft, an outer-warp-guiding ring surrounding the upper end of the needle-cylinder and supporting a series of outer warps, and an innerwarp-guiding ring located above the dialneedle plate and supporting a set of inner warps, said outer warps being presented between the needles of the needle-cylinder and the inner warps between the plate-needles, both sets of said warp-threads entering the needle-cylinder in the space between the top of said cylinder and the said dial-needle plate, combined with a splitting-weft-thread guide attached to said dial-needle cam-plate, said toothed ring also having means to hold and present a supply of splitting-weft thread between the said inner and outer warps, substantially as described.

9. In a knitting-machine, the following instrumentalities, viz: a needle-cylinder containing needles and actuating means therefor, a needle-dial containing needles and actuating means therefor, said cylinder and dial needles to cooperate in producing a ribbed fabric, warp-guiding devices to deliver separate sets of warp-threads upon opposite sides of the ribbed fabric produced by said needles, weft-thread devices to deliver weftthreads outside and to bind said warp-threads IIO to rotate said ring, and a filling-thread guide and a knitting-thread guide arranged on said ring to deliver their respective threads between said sets of warp-threads, substantially as described.

10. In a knitting-machine having means for actuating cylinder and dial needles to knit a tubular ribbed fabric, the combination therewith of an outer-warp-guiding ring surrounding the upper end of the needle-cylinder and an inner-warp-guiding ring located above the dial-needle plate, the outer ring presenting its warp-threads between the needles of the needle-cylinder and the inner guiding-ring, its warp-threads between the plate-needles, both sets of said warp-threads entering the space bet-ween the said needle-cylinder and dial-needle plate, a rotating guide for an outer weft-thread and a rotating guide for an inner weft-thread, and a rotating thread-guide for a central or splitting weft thread, and means to rotate said weftthread guides simultaneously in unison and in the same direction with the cam-cylinder and dial-needle camplate of the knitting mechanism, substantially as described.

11. An organized knitting-machine having two sets of needles, and means to deliver knitting-yarn to the said needles, whereby to produce a foundation-I'll.) fabric, means to deliver a separate set of warp-threads upon each side of the said foundation-rib fabric between the vertical lines of stitches thereof, and means to lay weft or filling threads outside the said sets of warp-threads in position to be bound by the loops of knitting-yarn that are formed by the needles and between and to split said set of warp-threads, substantially as described.

12. An organized knitting-machine having guides for two sets of warp-threads, carriers to lay weft or filling threads at the outerside of one of the said sets of warp-threads and at the inner side of the other set of warpthreads and between said sets of warpthreads; a carrier or carriers to lay a knitting thread or threads between the said set of warp-threads, and two sets of knitting-needles engaging the knitting thread or threads between the two sets of warp-threads to form a foundation-rib fabric having the warpthreads and weft-threads bound therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. STEVENS.

\Vitnesses:

Geo. W. GREGORY, Annin FARNUM DANmLs. 

